Chapter 121: Drops...

Rynar wiped the sweat from his brow as he surveyed the scene. "That was only the beginning," he said, his voice low and serious. "This is just the start, the size of this dungeon is extremely great, it'll take quite a long while. We should expect more attacks and beast waves as time passes by, we can't afford to let our guard down."Leon nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the forest for any signs of further danger. He knew that this dungeon would be a true test of his abilities, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

With a final glance at the group, Rynar motioned for them to move forward. The portal loomed ahead, and beyond it, the true dangers of the dungeon awaited.

With this, the group had survived their first encounter with the Barkhide Treants and the ferocious Leafbound Wolves inside the dungeon.

The clearing they now stood in was littered with the remains of the defeated beasts. The heavy scent of fresh wood and damp earth hung in the air, and the cultivators took a moment to catch their breath, the adrenaline of battle slowly fading.

As they began to regroup and assess their situation.

At that moment the twisted corpses of the treants, faint glimmers of light began to shine.

Curious, he stepped closer and saw something even more surprising—a small, ornate box had materialized next to the remains of one of the larger Barkhide Treants. It seemed out of place in the wild, overgrown forest, its edges gleaming with faint green light.

One of the other cultivators noticed the same phenomenon and hurried over to another spot where a faint glow emanated from the remains of a Leafbound Wolf.

In its place, a weathered-looking wooden staff appeared, intricately carved with natural patterns resembling vines and leaves.

Everyone was excited, it was quite unexpected that they'll get a drop from the kills this early into the dungeon, it seems this dungeon has a higher drop rate compared to other dungeons.

"What's this?" a cultivator murmured, bending down to inspect the staff. He gingerly picked it up, his eyes widening as he felt the power thrumming through it. "This… This is no ordinary weapon."

Leon approached the box, his instincts telling him to be cautious. As he opened it, he found a wooden talisman shaped like a leaf. The moment his fingers touched it, a faint warmth spread through his hand, and a system notification flashed in his mind.

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Skill: Nature's Resolve

- Grants one a temporal increase in one defense with the weak defense of weak wood Affinity granting one the ability to temporarily fortify one's defenses with the power of nature. The more wood Qi in the surroundings, the stronger the defense.

Protection against weak air blades and Sound attacks...

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Leon blinked in surprise at the notification. "A skill drop…" he muttered to himself. This wasn't something that happened every time a beast was slain—far from it. The drops were rare, unpredictable, and usually only occurred when a beast of significant power was defeated. But this is nice.

As he tucked the talisman away, Rynar's voice cut through the noise. "Seems we've stumbled upon something unexpected. Dungeon beasts sometimes leave behind artifacts or skills when slain, but don't expect these drops to be common. The more powerful the beast, the better the reward."

Leon nodded, glancing around as the other cultivators eagerly searched the remains of the beasts. Some found crude wooden weapons, others discovered small tokens imbued with traces of nature Qi. But for most of the group, there was nothing—just the satisfaction of surviving the battle.

One cultivator, a tall man with a jagged scar across his cheek, let out a disappointed grunt as he picked through the remains of a treant only to find nothing. "Figures," he muttered. "These drops are too damn rare."

Another cultivator, a woman with a sleek black spear strapped to her back, shook her head. "If it were easy, everyone would be walking around with dungeon artifacts. Just be glad we survived that fight."

As the group finished collecting whatever they could find, Rynar took stock of their condition. "We've lost some energy, but we've gained some valuable items. Don't get complacent—this dungeon isn't finished with us yet. Keep your guard up as we move deeper."

The cultivators nodded, their expressions determined. Even Leon, who had managed to secure a skill, felt the weight of the dungeon pressing down on him. This was only the beginning. The further they went, the stronger the beasts would become, and the more dangerous the traps would be.

Rynar gestured for the group to move forward, his eyes sharp and focused. "Stay close and watch each other's backs. The dungeon portal is just the entry point—what lies ahead is the real challenge."

As they ventured deeper into the dungeon, the forest seemed to close in around them. The trees grew taller, their branches weaving together to form a dense canopy that blocked out most of the green-tinted light. The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and vegetation, and the sound of distant growls echoed through the trees.

The tension among the cultivators was palpable. Each step forward felt like they were walking deeper into a trap, and the occasional creak of the trees around them had everyone on edge.

Leon kept his senses sharp, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana. He knew that danger could come from anywhere, and after the encounter with the Barkhide Treants and Leafbound Wolves, he was ready for anything.

As they moved forward, Leon noticed something strange—a faint glow coming from the base of one of the trees. He approached cautiously and saw a small, glowing flower nestled in the roots. He carefully plucked it from the ground and felt a surge of energy pass through him. Discover hidden content at M V L

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*Item: Essence Flower*

- A rare flower imbued with pure nature Qi. When consumed, it replenishes lost energy and heals minor wounds.

It's the item with the highest drop rate in this dungeon.

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Leon smiled to himself. Even though the dungeon was dangerous, it held hidden treasures for those who were observant enough to find them.

He tucked the Essence Flower away and continued on, the group moving deeper into the heart of the dungeon. The further they went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. The trees grew denser, their bark thicker, and the air grew colder.

Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees, and Leon's instincts flared, the sound was coming from around them.

His face changed, turning solemn, 'We've been surrounded!'

Before he could react, Barkhide Treants burst from the ground, their twisted limbs reaching for the cultivators, one confusing fact was that they were trees everywhere, but not all of these trees where Barkhide Treants this made their attacks harder to control and for a formation against...

Alongside them, several Leafbound Wolves emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with feral hunger.

Leon's eyes widened in surprise as he noticed something, the roots of the Barkhide Treants housed the Leafbound wolves! This was shocking!

He didn't know if the others discovered that too, but he became more careful of the roots, there's no telling when a barkhide Treants would raise up it's roots while attacking releasing a Leafbound wolf or a group of leaf bound hounds on him...

At that moment it might be truly unfortunate as hell have to split his focus on the multiple attacks that'll come at him.

Also, these wolves were larger and even more aggressive than the ones they had encountered earlier, their bodies rippling with muscle and their fangs bared in deadly snarls.

Meanwhile, Rynar quickly rallied the cultivators, his voice cutting through the chaos. "It's an Ambush? Form up! Focus on the wolves first—they're faster and more dangerous in packs!"

The cultivators responded immediately, their weapons at the ready as the wolves lunged at them. Leon found himself facing off against one of the larger wolves, its sharp claws aiming for his throat.

He ducked under the attack and countered with a swift slash of his katana, cutting deep into the wolf's side.

The beast howled in pain but didn't back down, its eyes blazing with fury.

Around him, the other cultivators were locked in their own battles.

Around him, the other cultivators were locked in their own battles.

The treants, with their massive limbs and near-impenetrable bark, proved to be just as dangerous as before.

But the addition of the wolves made the fight even more chaotic. The wolves darted in and out of the cultivators' defenses, their speed and agility making them difficult to hit